India’s total coal imports declined by 5.83% in August 2026, falling to 104.57 million tonnes (MT) from 111.05 MT in August 2025, a reduction of 6.48 MT. The decline reflects the continued efforts of the Ministry of Coal to enhance domestic coal production, improve availability and strengthen the supply chain, with a view to reducing the country’s dependence on imported coal. Key Highlights 1. Coal Imports by the Power Sector Decline by 6.39% Coal imports by power plants decreased by 6.39%, from 22.77 MT in August…
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), India, and the New Zealand Customs Service (NZCS) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) concerning Electronic Origin Data Exchange of Trade in Goods. The MoC marks an important step towards strengthening customs cooperation and facilitating bilateral trade between the two countries. The MoC was signed under the India-New Zealand FTA which entered into force from 20 th October, 2026. The MoC was signed on 19 th October 2026 by Shri Vivek Chaturvedi,…
India’s total exports (Merchandise and Services combined) for September 2026* are estimated at US$ 80.75 Billion, registering a positive growth of 10.99 percent vis-à-vis September 2025. Total imports (Merchandise and Services combined) for September 2026* are estimated at US$ 94.05 Billion, registering a growth of 8.19 percent vis-à-vis September 2025. Table 1: Trade during September 2026* September 2026 (US$ Billion) September 2025 (US$ Billion) Merchandise Exports 44.40 36.08 Imports 74.61 69.08 Services*…
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, launched the National Strategic Trade Command Centre (NSTCC) at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, in the presence of Commerce Secretary, Shri Rajesh Agrawal, and Director General, Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Shri Lav Agarwal. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Piyush Goyal lauded NSTCC for enabling data-driven, evidence-based trade decisions. While reviewing the SCOMET (Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies) dashboard, in…
The Government of India has approved a one-time, interest-free loan of ₹50,000 per barn for FCV tobacco growers in Andhra Pradesh under the Interest-Free Working Capital Assistance Scheme, providing timely financial support to growers amid evolving global market conditions. Auctions for the 2025–26 crop season in Andhra Pradesh commenced on 25 March 2026, with approximately 100 million kg of Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco auctioned so far. FCV tobacco is predominantly cultivated in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.…
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) organised a stakeholder workshop on Ease of Doing Business, Free Trade Agreement opportunities and ongoing trade-related reforms at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, today, followed by an interactive session with Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Jitin Prasada. During the interaction, Shri Goyal outlined the Government’s approach to strengthening export facilitation through…
In a defining step forward for trade and economic partnership, the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, is going to enter into force on 20 th October 2026. The FTA was signed on 27th April 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Investment Hon. Todd McClay. Today, the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Investment Hon. Todd McClay spoke via virtual…
India’s textile sector recorded strong export growth in August 2026, with total exports increasing by 16.1% year-on-year to ₹29,776 crore, compared with ₹25,656 crore in August 2025. During April–August 2026, cumulative textile exports reached ₹1.43 lakh crore, registering growth of 10.3% over the corresponding period of the previous year. The growth was broad-based across several major textile segments. In August 2026, exports of cotton yarn, fabrics, made-ups and handloom products grew by 24.1%, while man-made…